Easter

Here's the scenario: A guy gives his wife $100 to go grocery shopping. The items total $78. Two months later, the guy claims the couple is in debt because the wife did not give him the $22 change.

In the real world, the wife says to the husband: "You're an idiot." And she's right. Whether she spent the entire amount or none of it, that was the amount budgeted, and the expectation is the entire amount will be spent. While he might have hoped to get some change, he gave the money without expectations of a refund.

In UH's world, the bean counters say to coaches: "We're in debt because you didn't give back change from the advance for your trip."

Advances are based on the amount budgeted for a trip, a figure approved by the bean counters. The issue shouldn't be the amount of the advance, it should be the amount budgeted for the trip. Let's suppose a dodgeball team's trip is expected to cost $5,000. The team is given a $5,000 advance. It would be hunky and dory if the trip ended up costing under $5,000. But in projecting a budget, the expectation is that the full $5,000 will be used. The school's budget expectations are the same whether all or part of the advance is spent. It can't be claimed the school is OK because the team spent $5,000 but is in debt because it spent $4,800.

Times are hard on the boulevard, but UH should be looking for revenue through sponsorships and fund-raisers and not in travel budgets.